Ecoregions and Climate Change

Abstract

Ecoregions are large, region-scale ecosystems—ecoregions such as the Sonoran Desert. These regions are primarily defined by climatic conditions and on the prevailing plant formations determined by those conditions. Climate, as a source of energy and water, acts as the primary control for ecosystem distribution, including ecoregions. As climate changes, so do ecosystems, as do ancient shore lines of lakes in a desert attest (Fig. 10.1). Recognizing that climate is a principal controlling factor for ecosystems subsequently identifies the need to study the potential climatic change in terms of its ramifications to the Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems. Knowing where ecological shifts will most likely occur and consequences associated with such shifts are prerequisite to productively evaluating these changes and how they affect decisions regarding resource development and management.